Provided is a contactless internal measurement device including an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit that irradiates an electromagnetic wave to a measurement subject, and an electromagnetic wave receiver that detects the electromagnetic wave reflected by the measurement subject. The electromagnetic wave irradiation unit is disposed to reduce a polarization component of the electromagnetic wave detected by the electromagnetic wave receiver, the polarization component being the same as a polarization component of the electromagnetic wave irradiated by the electromagnetic wave irradiation unit.

Data derivable from remotely detected electromagnetic radiation (16) emitted or reflected by a subject (12) is processed. The data includes physiological information. An input signal is received and indicative entities are transmitted. The indicative entities being indicative of physiological information representative of at least one vital parameter (17; 150) in a subject (12) of interest, wherein the indicative entities are detected under consideration of at least one defined descriptive model (114) describing a relation between physical skin appearance characteristics and a corresponding representation in the input signal such that non-indicative side information represented by non-indicative entities in the input signal is substantially undetectable in a resulting transmitted signal. The at least one vital parameter (17; 150) is detected from the transmitted signal including the indicative entities. The at least one vital parameter (17; 150) is extracted under consideration of detected skin color properties representing circulatory activity.

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: obtaining a propagation profile for wireless signals transmitted between at least two devices via a creeping wave along a user's skin; causing transmission of electromagnetic radiation towards a plurality of locations on a target user's body to obtain dielectric properties of their skin at the plurality of locations based on an amount of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from each location; determining whether the propagation profile correlates with a realizable creeping wave along the target user's skin, the realizability being based on the obtained dielectric properties of their skin; and forming an association between the target user and the at least two devices based on a strength of correlation between the propagation profile and a realizable creeping wave.

Compounds, systems, and methods are provided for the design and assembly of a non-invasive, analyte sensing dressing. The dressing can be therapeutic. The dressing includes a sensor and a matrix. The sensor is capable of detecting analytes such as molecular oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxides, dissolved analytes in plasma, and hydrogen ions. The matrix is at least partially permeable to the analyte. The device emits a detectable signal when the sensor is excited in the presence of the analyte. In one version of the dressing, the sensor includes a meso-unsubstituted metallated porphyrin that is sensitive towards oxygen. The metallated porphyrin can be excited when illuminated at a first wavelength, followed by emission of phosphorescence at a second wavelength whose intensity can be used as an indicator for oxygen concentration.

A method, apparatus and system for processing acquired skin texture data, wherein the method for processing acquired skin texture data comprises: acquiring Qi and Blood state information by triggering a Qi and Blood information acquisition step (101a) in a skin texture area, acquiring skin tone state information by triggering a skin tone information acquisition step (101b), acquiring skin elasticity information by triggering a skin texture information acquisition step (101c), acquiring skin moisture information by triggering a skin moisture information acquisition step (101d), and acquiring luster and gloss information by triggering a skin gloss information acquisition step (101e); and comparing the acquired skin tone state information, skin elasticity information, skin moisture information and luster and gloss information with pre-set indicator intervals, and determining the overall skin texture state of the skin texture area in combination with the Qi and Blood state information (102).

A method of analyzing a material (12) comprising at least one analyte, wherein analyte-wavelength-specific measurements are interspersed with reference measurements (80), and wherein response signals obtained for the reference measurements (80) are used for one or more of calibrating an excitation radiation source (26) for generating said excitation radiation, calibrating said detection device, recognizing a variation in the measurement conditions by comparing results of individual reference measurements (80), adapting the analyte measurement procedure (78) with respect to one or more of the entire duration thereof, the absolute or relative duration of analyte-wavelength-specific measurements for a given analyte-characteristic-wavelength, or terminating and/or restarting the analyte measurement procedure, and adapting the analysis carried out in the analyzing step.

A system and method for automatic reading skin for an allergy to a substance, includes a consumer electronics device that acquires images of skin; a consumable member having a surface divided into elementary areas, each elementary area with a different possible allergenic substance; and a palette that, when applied against each elementary area brings the depositing part into contact with the skin thereby depositing the corresponding possible allergenic substance on or under the skin, where an image processing operation of the image of the skin taken by the consumer electronics device localizes the location that each depositing part has deposited the possible allergenic substance during the application and provides information in relation with a sensitivity of the skin, as indicated by a visible reaction, to the possible allergenic substance at each localized location.

A system for sampling a sample material includes a probe which can have an outer probe housing with an open end. A liquid supply conduit within the housing has an outlet positioned to deliver liquid to the open end of the housing. The liquid supply conduit can be connectable to a liquid supply for delivering liquid at a first volumetric flow rate to the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust conduit within the housing is provided for removing liquid from the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust system can be provided for removing liquid from the liquid exhaust conduit at a second volumetric flow rate. A droplet dispenser can dispense drops of a sample or a sample-containing solvent into the open end of the housing. A sensor and a processor can be provided to monitor and maintain a liquid dome present at the open end.

There is provided a hydration state indicator. The hydration state indicator comprises a watertight shell; a semi-permeable membrane configured to permit the passage of water molecules and to block the passage of molecules of at least one solute; a water-absorbent indicator layer enclosed by the shell and the membrane; and output means configured to provide an output. The water-absorbent indicator layer has a predetermined osmotic strength. The volume of at least one part of the indicator layer is variable in dependence on the water content of the indicator layer. The output is variable in dependence on the volume of the at least one part of the indicator layer.

The invention features methods for detecting the hydration state or vascular volume of a subject using a device capable of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement. The methods involve exposing a portion of a tissue of the subject in vivo to a magnetic field and RF pulse from the device to excite hydrogen nuclei of water within the tissue portion, and measuring a relaxation parameter of the hydrogen nuclei in the tissue portion, the relaxation parameter being a quantitative measure of the hydration state or vascular volume of the subject as a whole. The invention also features devices and computer-readable storage media for performing the methods of the invention.